Folding cot



I. S.'PURCELL.

FOLDING COT.

. APPLICATION FILED szrr 25; 1918. 1,374,387.

Patented Apr. 12,1921.

3 SHEEfS-SHEET 1.

1340C 7 u1-ce// I. S. PURCELL.

FOLDING COT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. mm.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

3 SHEETS SHEET 2.

W 5 MW r C I E w M UNITED stares ISAAC S. PUB/CELL, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING GOT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Application filed September 25, 1918. Serial No. 255,696.

T 0 all whom it may] concern:

Be it known that I, Isaac S. PURcnLL, citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Cots; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malre and use the same.

In its general aspects, my invention relates to folding cots and aims to provide a cot which can readily be compacted into a small space, which can be easily erected for use, and which will automatically adjust it self to varying conditions according to the means by which it is supported, and in which the tautness of the bed bottom may be varied without detachino the end rails. In one of its more particu ar aspects, my invention aims to provide a folding cot adapted to afford a bed above the seats of an automobile, to provide simple and unusually rigid supporting means for such a bed, to permit of an effective tensioning of the bed bottom, and to arovide a cot construction which can readily e compacted into a bundle adapted to be carried on the running board of the automobile. In another aspect, my invention aims to provide a folding cot in which the tensioning of the flexible bed bottom is not dependent on a rigid disposition and exact alinement of the parts comprising the side rails of the frame, and in which the desired tensioning can readily be effected while permitting pivotally joined parts of side rails to adjust themselves according to the support provided for them. In still another aspect, my invention aims to provide a truss for a folding cot in which the constituent members are continuously pivoted to each other, thus enabling the truss to be compacted without entirely detaching the constituent members, and which truss will be rigid when erected. Furthermore, my in vention aims to provide a center support for cots so arranged that it can readily be introduced as a unit into a cramped space (such as that between the front and rear seats of an automobile), which will be rigid when erected, and which willafford an effective spread wider than the floor of the automobile, thereby permitting such a support to be used with a bed bottom wider than the said floor. Still other objects will appear from the following specification and from the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a cot embodying my invention, showing the same as used in an automobile.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the same cot.

Fig. is a transverse vertical section taken through Fig. 2 along the line 3'--3.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged transverse sections taken respectively along the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the truss of Fig. 3 in its compacted form.

Figs. 7 and 8 are side and plan views respectively of one of the two equivalent frame members of the cot when folded into its compact form.

Fig. 9 is a side view showing an embodiment of my invention as used outside of an automobile, but in connection with the running board of the latter.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse section through 9, showing the center truss used on the latter. 7

Fig. 11 is a view showing the same center truss compacted for storage.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the connections between the two bars comprising each side rail and between one of these bars and a riser of the center truss.

In the embodiment of the drawings, the cot of my invention includes a flexible bed bottom 1, desirably of canvas, and fastened at its ends respectively to end rails 52 and 8. Each of these end rails has angular ends fitting between the forked tips of the two side rail members of the cot frame, so that the eifective length of the bed bottom can be varied to some extent by rotating one of these end rails, after the manner shown in U. S. Patent #:1262600 as granted to me on April 9, 1918. In the latter patent, I have shown each of the side rail members as comprising a pair of pivotally joined rail sections which are normally held in alinement with each other and which therefore afford a predetermined spacing between the two end rails of the cot and thereby controlling the tautness of the bed bottom. In my present construction, I also employ side rails each consisting of two pivotally joined sections, but do not depend on alining these sections, nor aim to provide an exact and predetermined spacing of the end rails of the cot. Instead, I provide higher supports for the ends of the side rails than for their pivotal junction, thereby causing the sections of each side rail to diverge upwardly from each other, and I then provide means for holding the end rails at the desired distance from each other while leaving the siderail sections free to adjust themselves to this spacing. I

Where the cot of my invention is to be used in an automobile,- I desirably support the rear end rail 2 upon the top of the back of the rear seat of the vehicle as shown in Fig. l, securing this end rail inthe said po* sition by straps fastened to any conveniently located parts of the vehicle, such as the hooks 22- The other end rail 8 is supported at approximately the same height by a pair of legs 4, each of which legs is desirably pivoted to the forward section 5 of one of the side rail members of the cot frame. Then I support each of the side rail members by a truss shorter than the legs 4 and preferably engaging each side rail member substantially at the pivotal juncture of the sections 5 and 6 of the latter. For this purpose, I desirably use the hinge construction shown in Figs. 10 and 12, in which the hinge consists of a strap 7 secured to one of the rail sections and connected bya pivotal pin 8 to a stirrup 9 secured by rivets 10 tothe companion rail section. Each riser of the center truss carries a projecting pin 12 adapted to project through a perforation in the bottom of the stirrup 9 into the space between the two end rail sections as shown in Fig. 12, the said perforation being sufficiently larger than the pinlQ to permit of tilting the riser 11 somewhat.

Each of the said risers desirably forms part of a foldable but normally rigid truss, asshown in Figs. 3 and 6. For this purpose, I employ a pair of cross-bars 14 and 15 permanently pivoted to each other intermediate of their ends, and pivotally connect one end of each of the cross-bars respectively to one ofthe risers 11 and 13 near the lower ends of the said risers. I then connect the other end of each cross-bar to the opposite riser from that to which it is thus pivoted, but employ; for this latter purpose detachable fastenings 16 and 17. For example, I may employ carriage bolts with detachable thumb-nuts, as shown in Fig. 5, so that by detaching the thumb-nuts and slipping the shanks of the bolts out of the truss members through which the free ends of the bolts extended, I can swing all four of the members of the truss into a common plane, as

shown in Fig. 6. Where such a truss is to be used within an automobile, I preferably locate the pivotal connection of the two cross-bars nearer to the lower ends of these cross-bars than to their upper ends, thereby causing the risers 11 and 13 to diverge upwardlywhen the truss is erected. By so doing, I can spread the upper ends of the risers considerably farther apart than the floor space back of the front seat in the automobile, thus permitting me to employ a considerably wider frame and consequently a wider bed bottom than would be possible if the risers were vertical.

The truss as thus erected can readily he slipped into the automobile from one side and interlocked with the side railsthrough the pins 12, after which the forwardend rail 3 of the cot frame is fastened to some adjacent and rigid part of the automobile by straps 18. By tightening these straps I can secure the desired tensioning of the bed bottom, so that this bottom will not strike the top of the forward seat of the automobile even. when supporting'a pair of heavy occupants. In practice, the bedbottom may be adjusted to such a length that it will hold the legs 4 off the. floor of the automobile when the frame is supported by the back of the rear seat and by the center truss. Then the straps 18 can be tightened until the legs 41: strike the floor vertically, or the bed bot tom can be tensioned still further by tilting the legs 4 as indicated in dotted lines. Thus, the stretch in the bed bottom, the tilting of the truss. permittedby the clearance afforded to the pins 12 in the perforations of the pivot stirrups, and the pivoting of the legs a all coo crate in permitting the tension of the bed ot'tom to be varied without detaching and partly rotating the removable end rail.

Moreover, the adjustable positioning of the truss of the legs permits both to be shifted somewhat, so as to clear obstructions and secure firmfootholds in vehicles of varying sizes, thus permitting me to use 7 the same folding cot interchangeably in au- In either case, it will be obvious that I so;-

cure the desired tensioning to a large extent by the thrust of the pivotally connected side rail sections, rather than by the tensioning of the'straps, and that the supporting of the forward end rail by the legs limits the angular divergence of the side rail section so as to avoid having these exert a strain which would tear the bed bottom. Likewise, since the weight is not borne by the straps, I avoid placing an undue strain 011 the bows, wind shield frame or other automobile parts to which the fastening straps are connected, and yet prevent the sagging or hammock-like. effect heretofore met with cots suspended above the seats of automobiles. So also, by partly unwinding one end of the canvas bed bottom from the adjacent end rail, I canvary the truss afforded by the side rail sections, thus permitting me to vary the tautness of the bed bottom still further, if this should be required to suit both the weight of the occupants of the cot and their desires as to the comfortable sag in the bed bottom.

However, while I have described the folding cot of my invention as employed within an automobile and as including a truss with diverging risers, I do not wish to be limited to these or other details of the construction and arrangement heretofore disclosed, nor to the use of the collapsible truss of my invention in connection with the particular cot frame as here described. Obviously, there could be many variations with out departing from the spirit of my invention. For example, by shortening both the pivoted legs and the risers of the truss, the cot of my invention can be used in connection with the running board 19 of an automobile, as shown in Fig. 9, in which case one end rail is strapped to the running board while the other end of the cot frame is cesirably connected by ropes or straps 20 to some suitable support (not shown in the drawings), such as a tree or a stake driven into the ground, so as to prevent the side rails from accidentally doubling up. When built for such a purpose, the risers of the center truss may be disposed parallel to each other as shown in Fig. 10, this being readily effected by pivoting the cross-bars of the truss to each other at their central points, thus also permitting the truss to be folded into an even more compact form, as shown in Fig. 11.

, In either case, it will be noted that when the cot is erected, each end rail cooperates with the two adjacent side rail sections in forming a Ushaped frame portion, so that the cot frame consists substantially of two U- shaped portions pivoted to each other at the free ends of the shanks of the We and movable about this pivotal connection during the tensioning of the bed bottom and the adjusting of the supports for the frame.

When the cot is to be stowed away, one end rail is detached, leaving the other end rail continuously pivoted to both of the foldable side rails, each of which side rails has one of the legs permanently pivoted to it. The legs and side rails are then folded close to the permanently attached end rail, after the manner described in my aforesaid patent, or in the compact form of Figs. 7 and 8. The projecting canvas bed bottom can then be wrapped both around this bundle and around the compacted truss and the detached end rail, and the resulting bundle can be strapped with the aforesaid straps 18 and 22, so that the folding cot as described furnishes its own wrapper and even its own bundling straps.

Moreover, while the canvas bed bottom may be practically horizontal when the cot is unoccupied, as shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the weight of the occupant will immediately cause it to sag to correspondapproximately to the angularity of the side rail sections. In practice, the dip thus afforded in each side rail makes it much easier for a person to climb into the cot than would be the case if rigid and straight side rails were used, thus making the cot of my invention particularly adapted for use in an automobile.

I claim as my invention 2- 1. In an automobile cot, a frame having sides and ends, a bed bottom stretched between the ends, the sides having hingedly connected sections, separate means to secure the ends to extraneous supports, floor-engaging means to engage the hinged connections to restrict downward movement of the same, and floor engaging means engageable with one of the ends to raise the latter and thereby increase the tension on the bed bottom after initial tensioning' thereof.

.2. In a folding cot, a pair of side rail sections forming substantial continuations of each other, a pivotal connection therebetween including a hinge portion underhanging one of the side rail sections and equipped with a perforation, and a support for both side rail sections including a projection extending upwardly through the said perforation.

3. In a folding cot, a pair of side rail sections forming substantial continuations of each other but spaced from each other, a hinge connecting the said sections and including a substantially horizontal element equipped with a perforation disposed below the space between the rail sections, and a support for the said rail sections including a projection extending upwardly through the said perforation and into the space between the rail sections.

4;. A truss for a folding cot comprising a pair of risers and a pair of cross-braces, the cross-braces being pivoted to each other intermediate of their ends; each cross-brace being pivoted at one end to the lower end of one of the risers, and detaehably secured at its other end to a more elevated portion of the other riser; the pivotal connection between the braces being nearer to the lower than the upper ends of the latter, thereby causing the risers to diverge upwardly.

5. An automobile cot including a frame having sides and ends, the sides having hinged sections, means to attach one end to the back of the rear seat of the automobile, legs formed to be disposed on the floor in front of the front seat of the automobile and a to engage and support the-opposite end of 'mobile, legs formed to be disposed on the floor in front of'the front seat of theautomobile and to engage and support theopposite end of the frame spaced above the back of the front seat, and a crossframe to support the sides at points to the rear of the 1 back of the front seat and in front of the pivotal connections of the bars havlng n stantaneous removableconnections therewit back seat and having floor engaging legs which diverge upwardly, and means to hold the le s in their saiddivergent relation.

-7; in automobile cot including a frame having sides each embodying a pair of bars pivoted together intermediate of their ends and diverging upwardly fromtheirpivotal connections so as to be capable of c0ntraction and expansion, ends for the sides,.means to support onefend against-downward movement from an extraneous stationarypoint, legs for supporting the'opposite end against downward movement from the floor line, and floor engaging legs for supporting the upon mere upward movement of the bars;

8. An automobile cot embodying a frame having sides and ends, means to connect one end to the back of the rear seat, floor-engaging means to support the opposite end spaced above the back of the front seat, and 1 means resting on the floor of the automobile and in the space between the rear Seat and the back of the front seat to support the centers of the frame side, said means having a width at the top thereof in excess of the width of the floor space between the back seat and the front seat. 1

9. An automobile cot embodying a frame having sides and ends, means to support the ends against downward movement, the sides each embodying a pair of bars hingedly connected at their inner ends, and across frame including legs having means at their upper ends to detachably engage the hinges of the bars, and intersecting braces pivoted at their point of intersection so as to be foldable and connected to the legs to allow the latter to be folded with the braces. i I

10. An automobile cot embodying a vframe having sides and ends, means to support the P ends against downward movement, the sides each embodying a pair of divergent bars ihingedly connected attheir inner ends, a

foldable floor-engaging frame extending transversely of the first named frame and i having quick-detachable connections with the hinges of the side bars so as to maintain said bars divergent and to allow of detachment by mere lifting of the side bars. Y

tember 1221918. Z I

S. PURLELL;

Signed'at Chicago, Se

, i ISAA 

